SSB - THE 2000s: THE LION IN WINTER

[MySockPuppet]

Stephen Hendry began the decade as world champion and ends it as world no.10.

This represents a decline but it has not been a dramatic one, more a gradual falling away and, make no mistake, he’s still a tough proposition and as determined as ever.

Hendry won four ranking titles during the decade, the last in 2005. He appeared in 12 ranking finals. Only Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams featured in more.

But his chief battle was with his own past. This was a man who won 27 titles and appeared in 38 finals from the 90 ranking events staged in the 1990s.

At one stage he won five in a row. The last time someone won two in a row in this decade was five years ago.

Such an unprecedented record of success could never be sustained and so any dip in form would be pounced on by those wishing to say he was no longer the force he once was.

And, of course, he isn’t but, as he proved at the Crucible just this year, he is capable of raising his game on the big occasions, though not for prolonged enough spells to seriously threaten for major titles.

Let us also remember that his consistency enabled him to return to the top of the rankings in 2006.

For fans of the 90s Hendry, it can be painful watching him struggle. Yet, when commentators say things such as “he never missed a long ball 15 years ago” they are quite obviously wrong. He, like all players, had his off days, even in his pomp. He just has more now than he did then.

And the difference now is that attention is more acutely focused on his mistakes because they appear to represent a general narrative: that this is a legend in sad decline, never to recapture former glories.

Stephen himself has spoken of the “chaos in my head” when he’s at the table. This stems from his own inability to accept that he isn’t the Hendry of old. He is perhaps expecting too much of himself. When, as Steve Davis did, he comes to terms with the fact that the golden age has gone, he may relax a little more and find some form.

To still be good enough to occupy tenth place in the rankings at the age of 40 proves how good he can still be.

For hour upon hour in his snooker room at home, he puts in the work. Just as in all those finals against Jimmy White, the desire to prove people wrong, to prove himself, still burns deep.

He no longer dominates the game but, rest assured, Hendry will forever, in the words of Dylan Thomas, rage against the dying of the light.


More...

[Odrl]

Oh, I was hoping these would come in order, as a list of the best players of the decade. But fair enough...

My memories of Stephen Hendry? I remember his last title, the 2005 Malta Cup. It was the event after the Welsh Open, where Hendry lost in the final to O'Sullivan, in a deciding frame. He was still very much one of the players to beat in that event, I think he was provisionally number 2 in the world. O'Sullivan went out early, he was whitewashed by Graeme Dott, which arguably left Hendry as favourite. He made his way quietly to the SF, where he played brilliantly against Matthew Stevens, hardly missing a ball. The other in-form player seemed to be John Higgins, who lead Dott something like 5-1 or 5-2 in the SF, only to lose 5-6. The final was great, Hendry made three centuries and a couple of other good breaks, but Dott held his own. He almost forced the decider actually, missed a tricky blue with the rest for 8-8, giving Hendry the match.

Hendry had a couple of good runs in tournaments after that, the 2006 UK Championship being pretty memorable. He played very well against O'Sullivan in the QF. He had a good chance to make it 5-1 when O'Sullivan conceded. He might well have won that one 9-1. The SF against Dott was another great match. Dott, who was the world champion at the time, was at the top of his game and he really pushed Hendry all the way, but Hendry played an excellent couple of frames at the business end of the match. The final against Ebdon was expected to be a high quality match, but it was disappointing in the end. The other SF match between Ebdon and Higgins was also great though, but let's leave that for when Ebdon is introduced.

I know Hendry played his best snooker in the early part of the decade, but seeing footage of past events can't compare with actual memories of events, when you see them as they happen. Having said that, I do enjoy watching the footage of the 2002 World Championship SF between Hendry and O'Sullivan. What an excellent match that was. Neither player would crack under the pressure of the heavy scoring. But Hendry showed balls of steel to sustain it in the final session. And then there was the British Open final of 2003, which was another great display of scoring.

Although Hendry isn't among the very top players anymore, I still enjoy watching him play, and I look forward to doing so in the next decade as well. There are still moments when I am in awe of his snooker. I don't know if anyone remembers one of the early frames of his match against Murphy at the WC. The black was tied up, but he managed to win the frame in one visit using mostly the pink, potting it in the middle pockets on many occasions. What a masterclass of positional play that was, and that is exactly why I make sure I never miss one of his matches. Even if it is the exception, rather then the rule these days.

[Mignon]

The lion in winter? Well the title would be more suitable for Steve Davis, not for Stephen Hendry. Autumn would be more like it.
Besides, there's also something called 'Indian summer', who knows?.... :snooker: